Welcome to Queerty’s latest entry in our series, Queerantined: Daily Dose. Every weekday as long as the COVID-19 pandemic has us under quarantine, we’ll release a suggested bit of gloriously queer entertainment designed to keep you from getting stir crazy in the house. Each weekend, we will also suggest a binge-able title to keep you extra engaged.
The Alternate History: Hollywood
Ryan Murphy‘s latest Netflix romp takes a page from Quintin Tarantino’s playbook, substituting the history that should have been for what actually happened. Unlike Tarantino’s revisionism, as seen in films such as Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Murphy’s Hollywood has a point. The series follows a group of aspiring showbiz types, led by Jack (David Corenswet), a wannabe actor, and Archie (Jeremy Pope), a would-be writer. While the pair take a job at a gas station brothel, run by the flamboyant Ernie (Dylan McDermott) they begin to assemble a group of performers that Tinseltown has marginalized. With the help of accidental studio boss Avis (Patti LuPone), they plot to produce a film that breaks down racial and social barriers to implore America to put aside prejudices and embrace authentic living.
Hollywood has won its share of fans, who enjoy it for its lush recreation of the Hollywood Golden Age, good humor and sexy situations. It has also won vocal detractors, who decry its fanciful take on history. Those critics miss the point: Hollywood doesn’t attack marginalized people of the past for not trying hard enough. Rather, it shows what our future could be when underrepresented groups band together, and when people of influence offer to share their power. Murphy and executive producer Janet Mock know something of that, having done the same to produce a show called Pose. Hollywood shares those lessons learned against a romantic backdrop of the 1940s, with a sex-positive attitude and even a few terrific performances to boot. Right now, it’s exactly the kind of hopeful escapism we need.
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Streams on Netflix.
Wicked Dickie
I thoroughly enjoyed Hollywood. Binged watched it last weekend.
louisemunderwood
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Coruna2018
Those critics miss the point: Hollywood doesn’t attack marginalized people of the past for not trying hard enough. Rather, it shows what our future could be when underrepresented groups band together, and when people of influence offer to share their power.—That is why the detractors are upset with “Hollywood’s” revisionism of the actual history of Hollywood. During the time that “Hollywood” is set, not only were there next-to-no people of color working as writers in the film industry, any non-whites who did work in the film industry passed for white because being non-white would NEVER have been an entree into working in that industry. as if the racism and homophobia weren’t enough, the late 1940-‘s-1960 was the era of the Blacklist. Those that stood up to their accusers had their careers ruined. It would have been wonderful for there to have been non-whites entering and succeeding behind the scenes in prestigious careers but that’s not the way it was.
Black Pegasus
This is why I won’t commit to watching. I don’t want revisionist screenwriting. And I certainly don’t want to be taken on another woke fantasy ride that has no basis in reality.
justgeo
A few hot moments with hot pretty good looking guys is not enough to get shit eating Glee boy! give us more dick and sex. Not with women! pandering just like this rag.
Hdtex
Shit on yourself some more. We like laughing at your misery.
phillycap
What’s missing in some of these comments is the realization that this isn’t real life and it isn’t some “woke” fantasy, it’s just a damn good yarn. It’s got a great cast who ALL do a fantastic job (Ms. Taylor is phenomenal). It’s kinda depressing reading these people who all want to wallow in the but it’s a woke fantasy as if we should feel sorry for actually ENJOYING a woke fantasy.
Prax07
Watched about twenty minutes of the first episode and that was enough for me. I’ll be good skipping this.
Hdtex
….and none of us will care
skie763
Wow! I really do not understand why there are so many Ignorant people who just don’t get it? It was a fantasy about how it should of been and how it could have been if the world was a kinder and more tolerant place. I had a few friends who made comments like “that would have never happened” etc. really? I had to smack them in the back of the head and explain it. Why not just enjoy it for what it is. A fun and entertaining Fantasy that offered an exciting peek in to the way Hollywood should have behaved back in the day. Amazing performances by everyone involved. Just wish the neurotics would stop picking it apart..
ecubano
Look, I absolutely enjoyed the series. I was captivated and entertained. It’s also interesting that all of my friends feel the same way. I wish there were a way to make this an going series. So sit back folks and enjoy.
Apolodorus
It’s awesome, colourful, exciting wish fulfilment. Well written, well acted and well designed.
Yooper
I enjoyed Hollywood. It’s not the The Godfather, nor was that my expectation, it’s light entertainment, and I enjoyed watching, so a win for me.
Man About Town
I’m in the middle of watching it and I think it’s highly entertaining, great fun, and a nice acquittal for Ryan Murphy after the disastrous “The Politician” which asked us to believe Ben Platt, who’s 27 but looks 32, could pass as a teenager!
skyboy63
It was an incredible mini series. I usually watch nothing on Netflix but I am glad I made this the first thing I did watch from them. The fantasy made it heartwarming. Kudos Ryan Murphy and cast.
HankHarris
Its a fun fantasy and looks gorgeous. As usual Murphy is great at casting – Jack is really the surprise, as his character really shines. I love that Murphy creates parts for older actresses that many shows/movies have forgotten about. One critique that always plagues Murphy – rushed plots (the finale crammed about 4 episodes into one). I also didn’t like the Rock Hudson portrayal – yes key points (couldn’t memorize lines, had no acting experience) are from real life – he just seems so dopey in his scenes.